Patches and Updates

Cybercrime is a multibillion-dollar global industry, and criminals are looking for information which can be easily sold. This information includes credit card numbers, bank account details, and personal identity information. By becoming infected with malware, you are at an increased risk of becoming a victim of identity theft.

In order to reduce the likelihood of becoming a victim to cyber criminals, follow the steps listed below. Doing so will help you protect your computer and Adelphi’s information resources, and it will help you to be better defended against cyber threats.

1. Apply patches when they are released. The most important patches fix vulnerabilities in Microsoft products, Apple products, Adobe products, and Java products. Updates present themselves in the system tray of your computer when they are available.
   • Keep your computer protected by setting your system to download automatic updates.
   • Keep your Mac up to date as well.
2. Restart your computer when prompted to do so. Some patches do not take effect until the computer has been restarted; putting it to sleep or in hibernating mode is not sufficient.
3. Make sure that you run antivirus on every computer you use, and that the antivirus definitions are set to update automatically (Apple computers also need antivirus).

If you are ever unsure of whether an update prompt is safe or require assistance to install updates, please contact the Help Desk.

Is Your Operating System Supported?

If you are still running an older version of Windows on your computer, your operating system may no longer supported by Microsoft — leaving you vulnerable to threats.

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